No one was quite sure what September 2020 would look like, but at GCS we knew one thing: Our top priority was bringing teachers and students safely back to the campus.
Why was daily, in-person instruction so crucial? The answer is simple, we understand the importance of continuity in education for our students.
The “How”
CDC Reopening Guidelines were provided to schools, and it was our responsibility to determine if the guidelines were feasible to implement, based on resources and student population. Without reaching certain benchmarks for a safe reopening, schools would need to consider hybrid or remote learning options. We used the CDC guidelines as a road map to reopening, and took additional measures to keep our community safe, making strategic investments where necessary to ensure a safe environment at GCS.
But Why?
At Greenwich Catholic School, we knew that the best option to support student success was to implement daily, in-person learning. In an uncertain world, we also saw the importance of providing a remote learning option for families who chose to opt-out of in-person learning for any reason. Throughout the Spring of 2020, we worked to implement and solidify our remote learning program from PreK through Grade 8, which gave us the tools and experience to prepare for an all school remote option if necessary.
And Now
Today, our safety measures have not slowed down, and our adherence to strict CDC protocols, and additional GCS created procedures, have allowed us to stay open every day.
In addition to daily temperature checks, mandatory face masks, 6-foot separation between desks, limited movement between classes, and maintaining cohorts throughout the day. GCS also enhanced the daily cleaning protocols. The school invested in electrostatic disinfectant sprayers, UVC light air purifying systems for each classroom, and the nightly use of UVC germicidal and disinfectant lamps. We also implemented and updated a “COVID Communications” plan to allow us to keep our families properly informed in the event of a COVID case within our school.
While students have not yet been able to enjoy our newly renovated cafeteria, and attend all-school events in our newly updated Gymnasium, we are hopeful that new guidelines may allow for this in the near future.
Students thrive when placed in a safe and comfortable environment. In-person learning has minimal distractions and allows for frequent peer-to-peer interaction. In-person learning teaches younger students to learn to share and take turns. It helps teens shape their identity and provides the very important social interactions they need to succeed.
Organizational skills are strengthened and learned from classroom learning and having a daily routine. The in-person classroom supports and enhances collaborative learning, provides the opportunity to participate in live discussion and builds critical thinking skills.
Differentiated instruction is more effective in person. A teacher can see if a student is finished with an assignment and can immediately address the student’s needs. It also leaves the primary job of teaching to the teachers. In remote learning, especially for younger students, parents often have to step in to assist the students in completing assignments. This makes it difficult for the teacher to understand specifically where a student is struggling and how best to address those concerns.
A New York Times Magazine article stated that in Fairfax VA “…one of the country’s largest school districts, where learning has been largely remote since March, the number of middle school students with failing grades in two or more classes doubled.” The full effect of remote learning will not be realized for quite a while, but we have been able to give our Middle School students a robust and rigorous academic program, and provided critical emotional and social support despite the hurdles.
Each year in education is a building block for the next year. The more solid the block, the better the foundation is for the future. The students of GCS will be well served next year for the remarkable job their teachers and staff have done in moving the school forward during this incredible experience.
